Ronnie Weedon is going to inducted into the Quad-City Sports Hall of Fame next week. With a career like his all that can be said is it's about time. Anyone who drove race cars for 55 years and wins more than 500 races deserves it. I can't think of another local person who did more to promote motorsports than Ronnie. For someone with no formal education to attain such success is very rare in this day and age. Everyone wanted his opinion on a variety of subjects and he would oblidge when he knew the answer. I first met Ronnie in the 70's at Streiter's in the body shop and liked him right from the first time we talked. He was that kind of guy.
The media in this area is generally not to friendly with car people. Races are usually listed in the back of the Sports section of newspapers, and TV news will do 30 seconds on a Nascar race after 5 minutes of football. Thank God we have the internet to keep up with the racing news. Having been a car nut all my life I'm sometimes left wondering if I'm the only person who follows these events. Surely if 3 or more people followed the racing at Cordova Dragpark, Hawkeye Downs, the Fairgrounds track, there would be more coverage.
It's just too bad someone in motorsports has to be dead over a year to recognized for thier talent.
Here's a link to a QC Times story about Ronnie getting into the hall of fame Hall of Fame
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7 comments:
Double zero right?
Keith Meyer
Right. He ran 00 as long as I can remember. He also called alot of his cars "old blue".
I'm by no means a rabid race fan, as a matter of fact, I find the interest in NASCAR baffling.
But a neighbor was a crew member of some stock car racers back in the late 60's and his son would talk about them, mentioning drivers that were implanted in my head, like Dean Montgomery and Ronnie Weeden. But those guys were like pro-wrestlers or something... just larger than life names that I'd hear.
I actually went to see a few stock car races in East Moline when I was a kid and really got a kick out of them.
Life then happened and cut to about 30 something years later. I now have a son and in my quest to find something he'd enjoy doing, thought of the stock car races.
It was perfect, I figured it was LOUD LOUD LOUD, very dirty, and involved cars and wrecks. I mean, you couldn't invent a sport that appealed more to a typical boy.
So I took my son one Sunday and he, and this still stuns me... fell asleep during the races!! I mean, it's so loud the stands shake, and he blissfully went to sleep. Of course he was only about 7, but still.
But I found that I really loved it. I loved finding out more about the way the cars were set up, etc. and I'd try to go see the races with my son any chance I could.
So imagine how I felt when one of those first times we went to the track, the first time for me in over 30 years, when I heard the announcer say what I though sounded like Ronnie Weedon.
My ears picked up, but I didn't trust what I heard. Surely I must have been imagining it. I mean, this was 30 something years later. There is no way that some guy who was racing back then would still be out there. It couldn't be. I must have just imagined it.
But there was a 00 car out there, and one of the things us kids used to talk about all the time with the kid who's father worked on a crew as "double ought". We thought it sounded funny so we'd always say it and it sort of got burned into my head at a young age.
Still, it just couldn't be. Maybe it was his grandson or something.
I eventually leaned over to some other specators and asked if that was THE Ronie Weedon, and I was simply stunned to find out that it was none other.
I sat there the rest of the night just freaked out that right in front of me was a guy, still racing in a rough sport, who was going strong over 30 years ago!!!
I quickly told my son all about Weedon and how I'd actually seen him race when I was his age, and he was STILL RACING! It was one of those truly rare moments that bridged a generation and provided a connection between my son and I.
I was always glad I took my son to the track and that he was able to see Weedon race a few times.
One night I was washing my car and struck up a conversation with a guy who was cleaning his stock car I think it was a B-Mod or something... I'm not too good with classes.
I brought up the fact that I was amazed that Weedon was still racing. He spoke of him like the legend he was, and told of running into the side of Weedon's car so hard that it almost knocked HIM unconsious, and how he worried that Weedon must be seriously hurt, but that to his amazement Weedon was fine, and had no hard feelings about the wreck.
It was only a week or so later that I was stunned and saddened to read that Weedon had been killed in an accident in his shop.
How incredible, I thought, that this guy, this survivor, who had beat the odds for many decades, would lose his life in the shop, rather than on the track.
I simply can't imagine anyone having more devotion to a pursuit or sport of any kind as was literally lived by Ronnie Weedon.
I'm not really a race fan, and don't really identify with the sport, but I have nothing but respect and honor for a guy that endured as long as Weedon.
To say that sort of devotion and endurance is rare is an understatement.
I was touched by the sendoff as well, where the race cars slowly circled the track behind Weedon's hearse.
I wish I knew where I could get one of the "OO" stickers with wings on them that commemorate Weedon.
It's gratifying to hear that he's being given this honor, as he surely deserves it.
Ronnie had that effect on people but he never got a big head over it. He always said if he missed a race day he wouldn't get back in the car. It's nice to see others appreciated him as well. I'll ask some of my driver buddies and see where they sell the stickers. I'm in the market for a couple myself.
My Ronnie Weeden story has to do with the John Lewis Cobblestone Terrace at the corner of 12th and Myrtle. It happened before construction began when God, McGivern, Malin,and Ridge along with the rest of the crew at City hall were denying the existence of a dump at the property. When contacted about stories that some of his race cars were at the bottom of the one time crater sized pit Ronnie stepped up to acknowledge that there were several double zeros there. A class act guy. Alderman Meyer
Yes Alderman Meyer, Ronnie was a class act guy. If you knew him or talked to him it's hard to believe he only had a grade school education. Many people sought his advice and listened to his comments. Good luck with the ball park mess.
I couldn't agree with you more on the coverage of local racing in this area. The newspapers seem to be doing a little more this year than in the past, but you would think with the NASCAR on FOX and NBC, the local TV might just want to tag onto that with more local coverage. For those of you who don't know I host a local race talk show on KJOC AM1170 every Monday night at 5:00pm until 7:00pm and all we talk about is local racing. We bring in the Promoters, drivers, and sponsors and invite the listeners to call in and be a part of the show.
For the guy who posted April 25th. and wanted one of the "00" window stickers I have a few left if He can get in touch with me.
A big tip of the hat to Ron Pershey, Bob Wagner, Kevin Feller and a host of others who put on a great week end of racing to honor Ronnie Weedon...He was a great friend of mine and will be missed
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